


Learn to Love Me

by ellacj



Series: 52 Weeks of Swan Queen [48]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teachers, F/F, Fluff, Sassy Emma, flustered regina, it's really cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-02
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-05-04 13:27:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5335766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellacj/pseuds/ellacj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; in just the same way, you learn to love by loving."</p><p>-Anatole France</p>
            </blockquote>





	Learn to Love Me

Emma’s fingers hover over the keys of her laptop as Regina talks, waiting for her to say something worth writing down. Of course, her nerves aren’t helping. As though being in group meetings with her weren’t stressful enough, this one-on-one discussion is making her wish she’d brought extra deodorant to work with her.

“So you can see if we start using this lesson model now, the graduating class ten years from now will see a significant increase in test scores and graduation rate.”

“Cool. Let’s do it.” Emma smiles. “You know this doesn’t have to be some formal presentation, right? We’ve worked together for like six years now. I’d like to think we’re friends. You can take it down a notch.”

Regina narrows her eyes. “Familiarity is no excuse for subpar work, Miss Swan.”

“Regina. The students call me ‘Miss Swan’. Can’t you at least call me by my actual name?”

“Fine. _Emma_. I’ve drawn up some charts-”

“Are you seeing anybody?”

Regina whips her head around so fast she could have ripped a hole in the fabric of the universe. “What?” she snaps.

Emma shrugs. “I think you heard me?”

“How is that at all related to the Madeline Hunter lesson model?”

“You already convinced me. I figure we can talk about something else now. And I haven’t heard an answer yet, you know.”

Regina glances back and forth between Emma and her laptop screen. “But – I still had some slides left-”

Emma arches a brow.

With a heavy sigh, Regina slumps in her chair and turns her entire body to face Emma. “No. I’m not seeing anybody.”

“Sweet.” Emma grins. “Tell you what. Let me take you out. You can show me the slides on our date. Deal?”

Regina’s eyes go wide. “You’re asking me out?”

“I think that’s what I said. I don’t know, was I speaking Spanish? I do that sometimes when I don’t realize it. Though, I guess you’d understand that, too, wouldn’t you?”

“Emma, you’re rambling.”

“Well, I’d stop if you’d give me an answer!”

Regina sits in silence for a moment, face screwed up in some adorable thinking face. “Okay.”

Emma brightens immediately. “Really?”

“Really. But I’m taking your offer completely seriously. We’re looking at the rest of my slides on our date.”

Emma laughs and shakes her head. “Deal. You’ve got my number. Text me if you change your mind so I can convince you otherwise.” Before Regina can say anything else, she bolts out of Regina’s office and into the hallway, where Ruby Lucas, one of her favorite students, just _happens_ to be standing. “Ruby, what are you doing?” she asks.

Ruby’s face turns red. “Just waiting for Lacey.”

“You heard everything, didn’t you?”

“Little bit. And all I can say is _finally_. You two have been making eyes at each other since my freshman year.”

Emma turns red this time. “Thanks? I think?”

Ruby grins. “Have fun on your date, Miss Swan.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I will.”

**Author's Note:**

> getting down to the bittersweet end of the challenge.


End file.
